Mine-car coupling



MINE CAR coUPLING rFiled April 25, 1924 5 sheets-Sheet 2 amusante@ MM@19 lge/UM@ sept. 7,1926. 1,599,289 l H. W. SANFORD MINE CAR COUPLINGFiled April 25, 1924. 5 Sheets-sheet s B9 B@ Qxc/ c )lgce ,B9 A La;.ul-+- L ;--JR

Sept. 7 1926., 1,599,289

H. w. SANFORD MINE CAR COUPLING Filed April 25, 1924 SSheetS-Sheet 5 lElgin.;

L ELCHE"- l I DB ' gnou/1 of, Ax t Patented Sept. 7, 1926.`

HUG-H W. SANFORD, or KNoXvILLn'-, TENNESSEE..

MINE-CAR (EO-TJBLING.` l

`l",Applicatienfiled April 25, 1924.7A `Serial No. 708,877.

Myimprovement relates particularly to conplingfmechanism designed forthe Vautomatic coupling of mine cars usedv on rail igaelrs Vwhich areunevenly supportedy and which have frequent and irregular curves andfrequent changes in` grade.

Y 51e-mo nig.

One object of th invention is to provide a simple coupling'VV structureWhich Will.

become. engaged automatically when cars are pushed endW-ise against eachother un'- der. the varying eonditions mentioned above ani whichcoupling structure Will remain in engagement during pushing and pullingand jolting of the ears at varying velocityv on such irregular trackageas I have above indicated. l V A, 'further object of the improvement isto, provide such -a coupling'l structure in a Vo'rm 'which vvfill permitdisengagement of 'the coupling structuresl of adjoining ears 'andputting said structures into such` posi'- tion as tol permittherrotating of. one of the cars-parallel Vto the length ofthe carwithout interference of the` coupling n or bumper elenjients or' one carwith the coupling or bumper Vrelements ot the adjoining ear or car, thisarrangement allowing a tra-in oi such cars to be moved progressivelythrough a rotary tipple, the car o rcars at the time in the tipple beingturned by the tipple for dumping, until all the cars have been thusemptied, and the cars being ac apte-d to automatic recoupling byVpushing or bumping the cars against eachother.

. it further object of the invention is to provide a bumper structurecomprising bumper castings which are combined WithV the car bottomstructure in an elfective manner. Y

in the accompanying drawings, Fig'. l is a plan showing ends of carspro- Vvided with my improved coupling and bumper structure, the carsbeingy in alignment' with each other;v

Fig. V2 is a side elevation of the struciure shoivnby Fig. l;

3 is a plan similar to Fig. l, the cars being out of alignment;

Fig. -l is an upright, longitudinal section onthe line, -v-l, of `1;v

'is an upright -sectionon'the line,

Y j l, looking toward the right g' Fig. 6 is an uprightseetion -on theline, Sewibi Fig. l, looking toward 'the right; fli-'gf is a perspectiveof the bumper eastins ra the right hand VPart nf "Ii-is: 1s 1 .Fig 8 isan upright section onY the line, 8, of Fig.. l, look-ing. toward theright;

Fig.. 9 '1s perspective of4 Jthe bumper.- cast- -Hs il the Leit han@nait Qi Ela-.l a-

10- 1S. an upright Section 01,13

the line,

iii- 10,01 Fig. 1 leaking in the direction:

Gi' the affair; l1; an: upright' sentan @in-the. line, llf-ll, ol' Fig.l, looking-in the direction o the arrow;

Fig. 12 is a lQ-l, vof VFigs. '2 and 4.

Reterring to said drawings, A, is the nood-.en car bottom. This may betwo and. one-half inches thick. A1 a bumper block applied tothe lower.facenti the car "botable thickness, for example .twoand onehalllvinches. At each end of the car, the

tom and formed of Wooden plankv of suithorizontal section on the line, e

bumper, block projects beyond lthe lcar `bottom toward the adjacent endof 'the adjacent car to 'form fan abutment forv the vbumper casting. Thebumper bloclr is'secured to the car bottoni by `means, oi vupright boltswhich also entend through othenparts, as

will be described further on.

f The car: bottom, 'A, extends across the Width of the car and4 each endextendsv to, apilane which is upright and .perpendicular to the lengthof the car, -At the end of the ear shown bythe Vright hand Apart ofFigs.l, 2, @erfand l, the free end or the bumper block, A1, conforms to yandlbears yagainst the inner face of the lower 'lange,-B1`, of the riOhthand bumper casting, BQ Above enr the flange, B17, said bumper rcasting'has a..

llange,l B2. 'At the right of Vthe-llanges, B1 and B2, the casting B,has "ahor-izon'tal floor, B3, which rests on theupper face of vtheWooden bumperblock, A1.v At the rigl'it of said floor-is an incline, B4,which rises to bring its upper face, tothe^level of the upper face ofthe carfbottom, A, at a short distance toward Athelgn't Yof the adjacentend edge oi' the car'bottom. :"Tlience y saidcasting has a horizontalsection which extends to the upper edge of .the adjacent end of thecarfbottom. flange, 139, entends downward along-the end ofthe carbetteln and. te the upper faee Qi' At ear/h. end :Qff the seethe bumperblock. u y tion, tong-ue, IVE?, extends tow-ard the right Aall@ is.counter-snel@ t@ 'the errer face of. the ear bottom Midway Alietweenfreni the section,` B5, yandisV count@ 1..

said edge.'

ninas, inea-ne, E?, @at ndsfrearwardinto the upper face of the carbottom, The tongue, B8, is longer than the tongues, B7; long kenough toreceive two bolts, as Vexplained further on.

The draw bar, C, extends lengthwise across the car bottom, preferablyfrom one end ot' the carto the other, and in the form shown by thedrawings, rests on the upper face of the4 car bottom and on the tongue,B8, and the section, B5, and on the incline, B4, the end of the draw barbeing inclined to conform to the incline, B4. An. inclined bolt, C1,extends through the end of the d raw bar and the incline, B4, of thebumper casting and serves to bind the draw bar to said casting. In theplane of the line, 6 6, of Fig. l, which plane is upright andperpendicular to the length of the car, a bolt, C2, extends downwardthrough the draw bar and the tongue, B8, and the carbottom, A, and thebumper block, A1, and the binder iron, C4, which is applied transverselyagainst the lower face of the car bottom and the bumper block andextends upward at each side edge of the car bottom. Said bolt alsoextends through the middle tie plate, C5,

Vwhich extendsparallel to the length of the car and over-laps thebinderv iron, (lt, and extends along the lower face of the bumper blocknearly to the bumper casting flange, B1, where it is secured totlielower face of the bumper block by an upright bolt, C7, extendingdownward through the bumper casting floor, B3, and the bumper block andthe t-ie plate.

At the right of the bolt, C2, Va bolt, C5, extends through the draw bar,the tongue, B2, andv thel car bottom and the bumper block. In the planeof the line, 6*(5, an upright bolt, C5, extends downward through eachVadjacent tongue, B7, and the ear bottom and the bumper block and thebinder iron, C4.

On the line, 5-5, four more bolts, C7, extend through the bumper castingfloor and the bumper block.

At each side edge of the bumper casting an upright flange, B9, risesfrom the floor, B2, and is integral with the upper flange, B2, andextends from said flange to the flange, B5, andV is integral therewitlThe two flanges, B1 and B2, of the bumper casting, B, together form abumper casting wall which has its outer face curved in an upright planeand also in a horizontal plane.

Turning now to the left hand part of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, A is again apart ot' a wooden car bottom and A1 is the bumper block. It is to beunderstood that there may be a separate bumper block at each end of thecar or a single piece may extend from end to end of the car and each endof said pieceserve to co-operate with the ca-r bottom for securing andstaying the bumper castings,r i

D is the bumper casting placed on the end of the car opposite the endwhich bears the bumper casting, A. This casting has a top plate, D1, anda vcross wall, D2, extendiii; 'dowiiward from the top plate.Alllxtending i to the right from the cross wall and downweird trom thetop plate are outer or side walls, D3. To the right of the cross wall,the middle part of the too plate, D1, is omitted.

From each Yedge thus formed from the top,

each side wall, D5, to the adjacent inner upright wall, D4, and fromeach wall, D4, to the other wall, Dt; butthis part of the wall, D5, doesnot extend upward as high as the top plate, this part ot' the wall, D5,being left low to make room for the hook, as will'be hereafterdescribed. The wall, D5, stands below the level of the lower edges ofthe walls, D5, D4 and the llanges,'D5.

This outer `cross wall forms the bumper face oit' the casting.

in the left hand part of each inner wall, D4, is a bearing, B7, whichopens downward and receives the journal, E3, of the hook, E. rlhe hook,E, extends from its journal rightward between the walls', D, and acrossthe wall, D5. The journal, E5, is only long enough to reach across thewalls, D4. The

lower part of said journal rests on the bumper plate, A1. rlhus `thewalls, D4, and the transverse wall, D2, and the bumper plate togetherform a bearing for the journal,

On each end of' the journal is a wrist, E4. rlliese wrists are locatedat the left and a little above the axial line of the journal. On theinner face. of the outer ycross wall, D5, and near each inner wall, D4,is an ear, D8, into which there is secured one eno. of a ``contractingcoiled spring, E5, the other end of said spring being coupled to theadjacent wrist, E4. E, is a head,E1, on which is a point, E2, which isto engage the bumper casting, B of another car.

The end of the carbottoin, A, extends beneath the left hand part of thetop plate, D1, and abuts' against the left hand tace of the cross wall,D2, that part of the top plate being counter-sunk into the bottom, A.The draw bar, C, extends across that part of the top plate. The bumperblock, A1, lies beneath and bears against the bottom, A, and the crosswall, D2, and the flanges, D, and abuts against the inner face of theouter cross wall, D5. bumper block is slotted to make room for On theouter end of the hook, I

The forward part of the iin lill' the .bumper plete', A1, and thetransverse binder iron, 'G4'. Saidhiiider-iron hei-nglike the fhincler'iion, iQ/4, lat 'the other end of the oar. Atgthe Vlett -fofqtheY holt,i' l?, twofsimilar bolts, F1, eXtendthiiough' the dna-W har, the tcpplete, ftlielcer bottom, and the 'bumper fhlock. Aft each side .of theholt, QF, a iholt, Ffzgextends downward throughgthetop plate, thefcarhottQimythe hum er'j locl {,.the'hind erfiron, -enfdfgone endotiieftieplate, In

,eachvangle-ffoimed ahy'the side Walls, D3, and

the outer cross Wall, D'ga'ho'lt, TF3, extends through the vtop -platezand the :space above the bumper block `4 and through the bumper @blockf and lthrough the I adjacent tie ple-te, F4. i V-'henthehooln :E,isfinthe-lower or Workfing position, t the contisacting'coiled spring,E5,gezierts force font-he hook tending to hold 'the vhookagainsttur-ningupward in response -to jolting of .the ca-r. .'Vhen the hook ismoved'into the upright position, .the rear lpart of the spring iscarr-iediacross the axial line ofthe joininah, `ofthe hool, .whereby the'actiongot the-spring ischanged so ras to exert force on fthehooktending itohold ,the .hook 4inthe upright position. fThisposition isdesire-ble .when atrainoritirip -of'cars are tohe-pushe'd fivithouthei-ng Coupled and to he successively moved .outward onl branches ofthetrack ,end this position of fthe ,hook

especiallydesiiahle when a .trip'ot1 carsv -nre-,put `thi-ougharotarytipple, the cars hevingsuccessively stopped in the'ft-ipple and .turneds id'ewiise for discharging ,their load V-hyi-graivity-. Aninspeotion ofthe drawings r bumpers hear against eachfgotheny -rlight position, it,out of theiiaiige ,of the bumper.structurel-of the adjaeent-caxgso/thateitherjcer is `tree 'to rotate Whileg rQheiliool, EE, is suited :toieffeet coupling. For' that Aoperation,the hookf'i's to he placed intothelovver or horizontalspiosition, the-*body offtheihookrestingonthe,up-

- per edge ofi-the evallfD, of thefhiimper licast- 1). vThis Yhrings thepoint-'ofthe hook below the npneredgeofthe flange B?, vOff the adjacentAibn naipei-vesisti-iig, and ,xvlieu i the ttve v ears are pusheditggether, the hoek is foi'eed e'icipward by {flange-tin til thefpoiiitof the :heels-tresses yand1ilii i9n y couplirig is not desired, the hoolisgplaee'd into the upif'ight `pc sitionand vheld KLVthere h v theactionA of Ithe contracting' coiled spring,

-A mine 4car coupling resembling -the foou.-

pling of `thisiapplicetiony is madetlie subfject matter lvot"myapplioation, Serial hlum'-y her A5^6,050,'iledhlzirch.23, 1922, JiorLet,- ter's'letent of the United "Sta-tes., In y.the

present application attention isespecielly i-nf vitedr to the-form ofv`the rbumpercastings and tothe manner of supporting those castings hycombining :them Avith the'carhottoin land the 'huniper' block.

I claimns-niyiinv-ention,'-- l l. A mineczir couplingstii'icturecoinpnising tivo `metallfhumperis, the `first having lan, l l

engaging ftace which ,extends honizontally and transversely to thelength .ofthe oaiiand the vseco-nd' having la hearing vwhich, ishorizontal and transverse to the "length of the cana hook havingatransverse l`journal vin said hearing, and aY spring engaging vsaidGurn-al tat vits Aend land outside ,the axialiiine .of the journal andvexerting force on the hookten'ding to hold the 1hook against move.-ment when ,the hook is in the horizontal position. and tending 4to holdthe hook izigainst movement when theyhooknis vin .the upright position,substantially as described.A y

'2. A mine ca-r l coupling -strc-ueture comprising-:two metal 'bumps-rs,ltlieiirst having ,an engaging face :which extends horizontally yandtrensveifselyto the lengt-h o/,theear .and

`thesecnd having evhearing `which is horizontal andtransverse to.thelengthnfthe car, a hook having a tigansverse journal in saidhearing, a .iviist y.sea-ted ,on one :end of Seid journal zand ,outside:the rivial .lin-ey of ythe jQiir-nalpand ,y spring' -jengaging saidWrist and .exerting torce ton the Ahook ytending to hol-dthe .hookvagainst r,moveitient when; the

hook isin the horizontztlpsition andi-tending to hold the hook againstymovement .when the hook-.is in thefiipright position.'k

suhstentinllyas described.

A- mine careoiipling:structuie comprising tivometal bumpers, the.iisthavin'gnn .engaging lace which ,extends horizontally andtransverselyV to the length of the ,car and the second having ,n.hearing Whichy is .orizontal end transverse .to ,the length of e .Carie hOOkfhavns-e 'transverse Y-j 011.11131 v in seid hearing?, ,n.Wristfseeted .on one ,end

,of ysaid .journal .and o side ,theexigrl jfi'ne o ,the Joiufnel, Aand e,contracting coiled Serine extending f-icross SeildeD-d end gagingsaid-.Wrist and .exerting lforce ori-'the hook tendine tQhQdth-eheoik.against ment when .the liookis in .the lioiizohte1--, n0-

istonend Itendine tbfh'eldthehenk @geinstfmovement 'when theflioek iSposition, .snhstanti rfavsdescribed.

mine pericoli lies St-runnin@ e@ meristwo 'metal hmisfsi @he '1,

tl l) formed for engagement by the hook on the other bumper and thesecond being recessed to form part of abearing which is horizontal andtransverse to the length of the car, a bumper block extending undersaidV bumper and forming a part of said bearing, and a hook having atransverse journal in said bearing, substantially as described.

5. A mine car coupling structure comprisA ing two metal bumpers, thefirst having an engaging face which ext-ends horizontally andtransversely to the length oit the Car and the second being recessed toform partoi' a bearing which is horizontal and transverse to the lengthof the car, a bumper block extending under said bumper and formingiapart of said bearing, and a hook having a transverse journal in saidbearing, substantially as described.

6. A mine car coupling structure comprising two metal bumpers, the firstbeing formed for engagement by the hook on the other bumper and thesecond having upright parallel walls recessed to form part or' a bearingwhich is horizontal and transverse to the length of the car, a bumperblock eX- tending under said bumper and forming a part of said bearing,and a hook having a transverse journal in said bearing, substantially asdescribed.

7. Amine car coupling structure comprising two metal bumpers, the firstbeing formed for engagement by the hook on the other bumper and thesecond being recessed to form part of a bearing which is horizontal andtransverse to the length of the car, a bumper block extending under saidbumper and forming a partoi' said bearing, a hook having a transversejournal in said bearing, and a spring in engagement with the journal,substantially as'described.

8. In a mine car coupling structure, a metal bumper having an Voutertransverse wall and being recessed to form part of a bearing which ishorizontal and transverse to the length of the car, a bumper, blockextending und-er said bumper and abutting against said transverse walland forming the lower part of said bearing,substantially as described.

9. In a mine car, the combination of ap' ear bottom, a bumper blockapplied to the abutting against the end edges of the car bottom and thebumper block, a tie plate under the bumper block, and bolts extendingthrough the metal bumper and the bumper block and through the biimperandv the car bottom and the bumper block and` the tie plate,substantially as described.

10. In a mine car, the combination oa car bottom, abumper block appliedto the lowerrace of the car bottom and extending beyond lthe end ot thecar bottom, a metal Abumper having a `horizontal face resting on the carbottom and having upright walls abutting against the end edges of theCar bottom and the bumper block,a binder iron extending transverselyacross the under face of the bumper block, and bolts extending throughthe bumper casting and the car bottom and the bumper block and th-ebindei iron, substantially as described.

11. In a mine car, the combination of a car bottom, a bumper blockapplied to the lower tace ot the car bottom and extending beyond the endof the car bottom, a metal bumper having a horizontal face resting onthe ear bottom and having upright walls abutting against the end edgesor' the car bottom and the bumper block, a draw bar extending over themetal bumper and the car bottom, a binder iron extending transverselyacross the under face of the bumper block, and bolts extending throughthe draw bar and the bumper casting and the car bottom and the bumperblock and the binder iron, substantially as described.

12. In a mine car, the combination of a car bottom, a bumper blockapplied to the lower face ot the car bottom and extending beyond theend'of the car bottom, a metal bumper having a horizontal face restingon the car bottom and having uprightwalls abutting against the end edgesof the car bottom and the bumper block, a binder iron extendingtransversely across the under tace oit the bumper block, tie bars underthe bumper block, and bolts extending through the bumper casting and thecar bottom and the bumper block and the binderiron and the tie bars,substantially as described.

13. In a mine car, the combination of a car bottom, a bumper blockapplied to the lower face or" the car bottom and extending beyond theend of the car bottom, a metal bumper hav-ing a horizontal .face restingon the car bottom and having upright walls abutting against the endyedges of the Acar bottom and the bumper block, a draw bar extending overthe metal bumper'and the car bottom, a binder iron extending'transversely across the under face of the r block,'t1e bars under thebumper l fandbolts extending through the dra-w bar, \bumper casting, carbottom, bumper block, binder iron and tie bars, substantially asdescribed. l

14. In amine car, the combination of a car bottom, a metal bumper havinga plate resting on the car bottom and having 'an upright wall abuttingagainst the end of the car bottom,bolts securing the bumper to thebottom, a hook hinged on the bumper, and aV spring engaging the bumperand the hoolr and tending to hold theL hook in 'either of its twopositions, substantially` as described..

lOO

15. In a mine car, the combination of a car bottom, a bumper blockapplied to the lower face of the ear bottom and extending beyond the endof the car bottom, a metal bumper having a horizontal face resting onthe ear bottom and having upright walls abutting against the end edgesof the bottom and the bumper block, bolts securing said members to eachother, a hook hinged on the bumper, and a spring engagingthe bumper andthe hook and tending to hold ,the hook in either of its two positions,substantially as described.

16. A mine car coupling structure comprising two metal bumpers, ythefirst being formed for engagement by the hook on the other bumper andthe second being recessed to form part of a bearing which is horizon- Intestimony whereof I have signedl myl name', this 23rd day of April, inthe year one thousand nine hundred and twentyfour.

HUGH w. sANFoRD.;

